1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the field of magnetic apparatus for the treatment of fluids and more specifically, to the field of improved apparatus for magnetizing liquid organic fuels which are used with internal combustion engines such as gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and even gaseous fuels such as propane. The invention further relates in particular to apparatus for magnetizing other liquids such as water so as to inhibit scaling and corrosion caused by the flow of such fluid through pipes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In today's energy conservation society and as well as for political reasons, it has become increasingly important to conserve energy and, in particular, hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline. Governmental pressure is causing many automobile manufacturers to re-think and re-define the definition of fuel economy. The size of automobiles has been drastically reduced from the decades of the fifties and sixties; the concept of power produced by automobiles as well as engine size has been similarly reduced; and, more efficient driving habits are being promoted. Yet, and despite all of these improvements in fuel economy, the average person is driving more and more which tends to offset the gains achieved by the aforementioned methods of improving fuel economy.
Of course, the use of internal combustion engines is not restricted to the automotive field. Diesel engines, for example, power many of the world's trains. Turbine engines power a majority of the world's commercial air planes and a good many of the world' electric power generating stations.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide apparatus which increases the combustion efficiency of fuel which is used to power internal combustion engines.
In the prior art, a number of devices have been disclosed whereby the liquid or gaseous fuel is magnetized just prior to the entrance point to a carburetor or just prior to being injected by a fuel injection system into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. In this prior art it is well established that magnetization of the fuel increases fuel economy as well as reduce the pollutants introduced into the atmosphere as a result of exhaust gas emissions. In general, these advantageous results are obtained by changes in the fuel which include changes in viscosity, boiling points, magnetic susceptibility, electrical conductivity, volatility, atomization, and surface tension.
It is now well accepted that a hydrocarbon fuel can be polarized by exposure to external force such as magnetism. The effect of such magnetism is the production of a moment created by the movement of the outer electrons of a hydrocarbon chain moving the electrons into states of higher principal quantum number. This state effectively breaks down the fixed vailance electrons that partake in the bonding process of the fuel compounds. These states create the condition for freer association of fuel particulars. In so doing, the hydrocarbon fuel becomes directionalized or aligned which does not necessarily create new hydrocarbon chains but more explainably aligns the conduced magnetic moment into a dipole relationship within itself. This magnetic alignment then permits rapid bonding with the respective oxidizing media. The result of which is, of course, more complete and rapid burning of the hydrocarbon fuel.
Increased oxidation of the hydrocarbon fuel causes several effects. Faster and more complete oxidation results in more rapid and more complete combustion of the fuel. Faster and more efficient combustion creates a more concentrated and more forceful driving force on the pistons of an internal combustion engine, albeit for a shorter duration of time. Typically, this results in the desirable effect of increasing the engine's revolutions per minute (rpm) for the same amount of fuel burned. The net effect is increased power and/or a corresponding decrease in fuel consumption for a given power output.
The second effect of increased oxidation is a reduction in the toxic compound nitrous oxide during the combustion process. This is so even though, in general, an increase in temperature results in an increase in the formation of nitrous oxide because of the counter-prevailing effect of the reduction in the length of time of burn. Additionally, the heat produced during the combustion process is more rapidly used by the increased gas expansion and heat transfer through conductance to a greater available surface area. Stated differently, the net production of nitrous oxide is decreased because production of the same is directly proportional to the increase in temperature in the length or duration of burn time and inversely proportional to the expansion of the gas and resulting cooling. Thus, the net effect of the reduction in nitrous oxide formation is caused by the rapid quenchtioning of the post-flame gases (where nitrous oxide formation continues within the post-flame region) by heat removal or by gas expansion reduces the net nitrous oxide formation in combustion systems.
Magnetization of fuel, as previously described, breaks down the bonds between hydrocarbon chains which results in decreased density and, hence, smaller particulars and droplets during atomization or injection within an internal combustion engine. Smaller particles and droplets causes increased evaporation rates, improved mixing of fuel and oxidizer, and improved promotion of oxidation. The net effect is an increase in the rate of combustion, an increase in power, and reduced pollutants.
It is accordingly highly desirable to magnetize fuel in order to achieve the above-stated benefits therefrom. It is, therefore, another object of the present invention to provide fuel magnetizing apparatus which completely and thoroughly magnetizes fuel for use in any internal combustion engine.
A further object of the present invention is to provide magnetic treating apparatus which subjects fuel during passage therethrough to powerful magnetic flux fields without the use of electricity and with the use of permanent magnets in an arrangement whereby magnetic fields are arranged to promote high magnetization of the fluids passing therethrough.
Another object of the present invention is to provide magnetic treatment means for fluids which is small, inexpensive and easy to install.
Magnetization of fluids provides advantages not only to the hydrocarbon fuels as stated above, but even, for example, to water where the magnetic field operates as a water conditioner. Traditional methods of water conditioning fall into two categories. These are conditioning through chemical additions and conditioning by ion-exchange.
The chemical method requires a fairly accurate chemical analysis of the scaling materials in the water which then requires the addition of the necessary chemicals to precipitate the scaling materials out of the water in the form of a harmless sludge. Sodium hydroxide and sodium aluminate are typical of such chemicals used for this purpose. There are certain disadvantages of the chemical method, namely, a chemical analysis of the water is needed; dosing has to be carried out accurately; the chemicals are expensive; and, that in some situations the added chemicals result in unwholesome water.
In the ion-exchange technique, water is passed through a bed or several beds of crystals which remove the scale-producing materials. After a period of use, the bed of crystals have to be re-generated which involves using expensive and sometimes unhealthful chemicals. In this technique there is also the factor of the cost of the electrical energy consumed within the technique.
The treatment of water by magnetic fields works on a completely different basis from the two traditional methods. In the prior art it is well documented that many physico-chemical changes take place in the water when treated magnetically including changes in viscosity, boiling point, magnetic susceptibility, electrical conductivity, and surface tension. But, no actual chemical changes are involved and the hardness salts are not removed from the water by the treatment.
Thus, while it is well accepted that magnetic treatment of water will significantly reduce scaling and corrosion caused by untreated water, the prior art devices to accomplish the same are generally inadequate for the same reasons described above with regard to the hydrocarbon fuels referred to above. That is, better and more efficient apparatus is needed in order to expose other fluids, such as water, to high-magnetic flux fields utilizing ceramic magnets within compact apparatus which is small and inexpensive and easy to install.
The above-stated objects as well other objects which although not specifically stated, but are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, are accomplished by the present invention.